The warrior's path of the dead wolf
by Ryymynloinen
Summary: The young barbarian was defeated before his fight even truly began. He wants a new chance, whatever the cost.


**A/N:** So... This is some kind of background story for my barbarian character. In game his name is Death's Undead (well, really DeathsUndead, 'cause with proper spelling that name was too long, LOL), but I wasn't sure, if I want call him by that name in the story... So he's nameless here.

There may be grammar and spelling mistakes, but I hope they don't bother you too much.

* * *

**The warrior's path of the dead wolf**

He had always known that he had been rather weak. It was not, however, prevented him from practicing diligently, so someday he would too earn his place as one of the Untamed warriors. Like many others, he too wasn't going to allow the Wraiths attempt to ruin their world. That's why, even though he wasn't particularly talented barbarian at all, he did his best to fortify himself.

Although, all that grind had been futile.

He had been scheduled to meet a guide at the evening in The Northern Pass. Along the way there, a young novice, however, was gotten into a fight. He wasn't ended up in an ambush, the reason was quite different. Corpse Candles, those dastardly creatures, had assailed a single Untamed maiden and he, as a righteous young man, couldn't leave the other in trouble. Barbarian was left to hold back the creatures so the girl could escape. He knew that he wasn't alone a match for a group of monsters and was intended to hold back the creatures just for a moment so the maiden could reach the safe distance. But then what? Would he slink away like does each coward? It was against his nature, but if he wanted to stay alive, he had no choice.

But something had gone wrong. Was the young barbarian left to fight for too long and was get too tired during the struggle, some of the crew's creatures delivered a fatal attack or whatever the reason was, he fell to the ground, unable to move. Corpse Candles were clobbered him a little longer before they left, leaving him alone to lie on the ground, bloodied and in agony. He tried to get up, but the body didn't obey. All he could do was wait and die.

The sun was setting down. Barbarian looked at quickly dissipating rays, knowing that he wouldn't see them anymore. His body felt numb, which in turn really was a good thing. At least the pain was gone. The young man closed his green eyes. What a bad luck he had… If only someone would have found him earlier, he would have survived. But there was no one had been seen. On the other hand, it was strange, because he was lying near the boundaries of The Northern Pass and Valley of the Scarred. To The Northern Pass all the new Untamed warriors travelled, and there he too would be right now…

The end was near, he felt it. He was enraged about that. He had gone to die before he could even get into the fight for behalf of the world! Barbarian hoped that he could get up. Get up and fight, whatever the cost.

When the last golden ray vanished behind the horizon, at the same time the young man took his last, weak breath. Slowly the moon climbed into the sky to take the place of the sun and illuminated with its own pale rays the barbarian's gray fur-covered body. In his wolf face had been left a dissatisfied expression.

* * *

Barbarian opened his eyes, although all he could see was black. It took a while before the young man realized that he was able to move. He blinked a few times, but nothing hit his field of vision. He sat up and looked around. Plain black emptiness surrounded him. Was this the nether world? It didn't seem to be very magnificent.

"Boy… You are not satisfied with the peace which the death have grant to you. You want to go back in the journey of life… Why?" The young man jumped up alerted when he heard someone talking nearby. His gaze sought the speaker from the black space, but he didn't see anyone.

"Who are you?" wolf barbarian asked suspiciously. It seemed to pass a small eternity before a voice was heard again: "I'm just a person who wants to know why you want to go back suffer in the dragged world of war, even though you could leave all that pain behind you."

"Just because I could help to end off that war", the young man snarled. It was unnecessarily to conceal the truth, when that person seemed to have some clue what he was thinking. Should he just sit and relax without worries, while thousands of people suffered because of Wraiths? No, it didn't felt right.

"Is that so? Many other young people proclaim the same thing", the voice said, sounding slightly amused. "But you have to understand, your time in the world of living is over. You have to move on to the life after death."

"No, I don't agree. I didn't make it to the battlefield to join the fight for the behalf of our world, therefore I have to return."

"There are thousands and thousands of others who haven't completed everything they want in their life."

"So what? I have to return, for the world's sake!"

"You can not be recovered fully to the life anymore; even the clerics can't do it."

"Not fully? But it would be possible?"

"Yes, although I have been prohibited to do so… But know that you wouldn't be alive or dead. You also couldn't enjoy all things no longer like you did in your life."

The young man stood silent for a moment in the middle of emptiness. He was already pretty much thinking that he would take the opportunity, but was, however, considering the matter. He wouldn't be alive or dead… Then he would be almost like Wraiths. Ironic. Though, what it did matter. He wouldn't return back to life because of himself, so all the same, how dreary life a living dead would have. He wanted a new opportunity and do his best to help the world survive from the threat of Wraiths. Barbarian raised his head with purposeful mind and said to the emptiness: "I don't want to go back to life for myself. I want to destroy the Wraiths, in order to help our world survive."

"And that's why you're ready to say goodbye to it what you were?" the voice asked.

"Yes", the other replied.

"I guess I have to take you back to there then… But promise me, young warrior that you will go to afterlife as soon as the peace returns to the world."

"I will."

* * *

The moon still shone in the sky when the young barbarian rose on his feet. He had a little weird feeling… Despite the fact that he was completely covered with bruises of many kinds, he didn't felt any pain. He stared at his hands thoughtfully. The fact that he felt no pain didn't really hamper him. But what other things he wouldn't be able to feel? Which of things he wouldn't enjoy anymore? Barbarian calculated his hands and lifted his wolf face toward the night sky. At least his appearance hadn't changed, or so it seemed by judging at the first glance. Although, what it would have been mattered even if he had experienced a drastic change. The main thing was that he had returned to life to fight against Wraiths. This should now be his warrior's path.


End file.
